Systems and methods for powder recovery, cleaning, and blending, for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021146622-A1
Application number	US-202017098739-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2020
Priority date	Nov 15, 2019
Publication date	May 20, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of recycling build material powder including collecting in a keg an amount of excess build material powder during the additive manufacturing of a part cake. The part cake and keg are transferred to a de-powdering station. The part cake is de-powdered to release a mixture of reusable powder and contaminants. The mixture is sieved to remove the contaminants and deposit the reusable powder to the keg.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method of recycling build material powder, comprising the steps of:
collecting in a keg an amount of excess build material powder during the additive manufacturing of a part cake; transferring the part cake and the keg to a de-powdering station; de-powdering the part cake to release a mixture of reusable powder and contaminants; and sieving the mixture of reusable powder and contaminants to deposit the reusable powder to the keg while removing the contaminants.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
depositing to the keg an amount of virgin powder.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
coupling the keg to a blender; and operating the blender to blend the reusable powder and the virgin powder to a consistent blend.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein during the step of de-powdering, collecting an amount of fines in a fines disposal container.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein one of during or after the step of sieving removing the contaminants to a scrap disposal container.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein during the step of sieving, selectively dosing the mixture of reusable powder and contaminants into the sieve.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein selectively dosing includes altering a dosage rate to optimize a sieving parameter.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the selectively dosing includes ultrasonically shaking the sieve to optimize a sieving parameter.

9 . A system for recycling build material powder, comprising:
a keg configured to receive an amount of excess build material powder during the additive manufacturing of a part cake; a de-powdering station configured to receive the keg and the park cake and de-powder the part cake to release a mixture of reusable powder and contaminants; and a sieve configured to separate the reusable powder from the contaminants and deposit the reusable powder to the keg.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a source of virgin powder configured to provide virgin powder to the keg.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a blender configured to blend the reusable powder and the virgin powder to a consistent blend.

12 . The system of claim 9 wherein the de-powdering station is configured to remove fines to a fines disposal container during de-powdering.

13 . The system of claim 9 wherein the sieve is configured to remove the contaminants to a scrap disposal container.

14 . The system of claim 9 wherein the de-powdering station is configured to selectively dose the mixture of reusable powder and contaminants deposited to the sieve.

15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the de-powdering station is configured to alter a dosage rate to optimize a sieving parameter.

16 . The system of claim 14 wherein the de-powdering station is configured to ultrasonically shake the sieve to optimize a sieving parameter.

17 . A method of recycling build material powder, comprising the steps of:
disposing a part cake and a keg in a de-powdering station; de-powdering the part cake to release a mixture of reusable powder and contaminants; and sieving the mixture of reusable powder and contaminants to deposit the reusable powder to the keg while removing the contaminants.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of:
depositing to the keg an amount of virgin powder.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising the steps of:
coupling the keg to a blender; and operating the blender to blend the reusable powder and the virgin powder to a consistent blend.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein during the step of de-powdering, collecting an amount of fines in a fines disposal container.

Assignees

• Desktop Metal Inc

Inventors

• Myerberg Jonah
• Schmitt Peter

Classifications

• B07B1/40

  Resonant vibration screens · CPC title

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/205

  Means for applying layers · CPC title

• B29C64/357 Primary

  Recycling · CPC title